Rope or cable clamp.



a PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

J. P. KRBB'S.

ROPE OR-OABLE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. 1904.

no MODEL. I

UNITED STATES Patented December 20, 1904.

JOHN P. KREBS, OF MILLVALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROPE OR CABLE C-LAIVIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,048, dated December 20, 1904.

Applicatibn filed February 6, 1904. Serial No. 192,372.

T0 (LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN P. KREBs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Millvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope or Cable Clamps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to rope or cable clamps, and relates in particular to that class of rope-clamps which are used to temporarily clamp and hold the end of a rope, wire, cable, or the like which it is desired to stretch or drag along, the clamp being secured to another rope, cable, or other connection to which tractional force is applied.

The object of my invention is to provide a rope-clamp of extremely simple construction,

containing but few parts and these of a character that can be made cheaply and which will be so constructed and arranged that they will not be liable to be broken or damaged by the rough usage to which devices of this character are ordinarily subjected.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clamp which when force is applied to it will automatically grasp and firmly hold the rope or cable which is to be drawn along, the gripping power of the clamp increasing automatically in proportion to the resistance which is offered by the rope or cable which is being pulled along.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a clamp of this character which can be very readily detached from the rope or cable to which it has been applied when said rope or cable has been drawn to the desired point.

In the-accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved clamp, showing it applied to a rope and also showing a flexible connection by means of which traction is applied to the clamp and through the clamp to the rope gripped thereby. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of theclamp, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the dotted line 00 wof Fig. 1.

The clamp constituting the present invention is composed of two members movable relatially rectangular flat plate having on one edge a laterally-extending flange B. The member 0 is also a flat plate, and it is formed with a serrated or toothed lower edge D and has. at one end a hole E, through which passes the traction connection F. The plate C lies flat against the plate A, the serrated edge D being directly over the flange B. A diagonal slot G is provided in the plate 0. and through this slot passes a screw-threaded bolt H, which screws into a hole in the plate A and has a head I somewhat larger in diameter than the width of the slot G. In the perspective view, Fig. 1, and the sectional view, Fig. 3, the clamp is shown with a rope or cable K clamped between the serrated lower edge of the plate O and the flange B of the plate A and with the traction-rope F attached to the plate C, these figures showing the relative position of the two members A and B when the clamp is in service. In Fig. 2 of the drawings the plates are shown in another position for the purpose of illustrating the adaptability of the clamp to ropes of larger diameter than that shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In practice the traction-rope F, which may lead to a winch or may be pulled by hand, is firmly attached to the plate O. The rope K is placed in position, as shown, between the flange B of plate A and the serrated lower edge of the plate C. Tractionbeing applied to the rope F, the plate 0 will be caused to descend upon top of the ropeK and the latter will be firmly held, being tightly grasped between the flange B of plate A and the serrated lower edge Dof the plate C. The movement of the plate C toward the flange B of plate A is effected by the diagonal slot G and' the bolt H, and it. is obvious that the clamping effect will be increased proportionately to the resistance offered by the rope or cable K. The rope being clamped throughout the length of the flange B and the serrated lower edge of the plate 0, a very firm and stable grip will be assured and the rope will neither slip through nor be appreciably marred by the gripping action of the clamp. The plate A, it will be observed, is cut away at that end adjacent to the point at which the traction-rope F passes through the hole E of plate C, the object of cutting away the plate A at this point being to permit of the rearward movement of the plateG upon the plate A Without bringing the traction-rope F into contact with the end of the plate A. The configuration of the forward end of the plate A is clearly indicated by the dotted line in Figs. 1 and 2, and this feature of construction is of importance, as if the plate Awas not cutaway at this point the traction-rope F would at every backward movement of the plate C come into contact with the sharp corner of the end of plate A and would eventually be cut into and weakened, if not totally severed. The device constructed as described, it will be seen, is of extremely simple construction and is capable of being used to clamp ropes of varying sizes. The clamping action is entirely automatic, and when the rope to which the clamp is applied has been stretched or drawn to the required extent the clamp may be very readily detached either by pushing the plate 0 backwardly in reverse direction to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 or the clamp may be released by pushing the plate A forwardly while the plate C remains stationary.

Various changes and modifications in the construction, it is obvious, can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letter Patent, is

A rope or cable clamp comprising two substantially rectangular plates placed one against the other, one of said plates having a rightangular extending flange throughout its length on one edge, and cut away at one end for a portion of its width, the other of said plates beingof greater length than the flanged plate, having an apertured end extending beyond the cut-away end of the flanged plate for the purpose described, said longer plate having a serrated lower edge to coact with the flange of the flanged plate and grip a cable or the like, and having a slot extending diagonally across the said plate, and a screw extending through the slot and engaging in the flanged plate, said longer plate movable on the shank of said screw, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. KREBS.

Witnesses:

H. C. EVERT, WM. 0. Hnrrz. 

